[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Sharad Navratri (September – October) is the nine-day Hindu festival dedicated to Mother Goddess Durga and her numerous forms in Hindu religion. Sharad Navratri 2022 dates are from September 26 to October 4, 2022 in India as per Hindu Calendar. The festival is of great importance as it is the most significant festival dedicated to Mother Goddess in Hinduism.
The nine-day festival of Navratri in Hinduism celebrates the victory of good over evil – Dharma overcomes Adharma with the blessing of Goddess Durga.
The nine-day festival begins on the first day of the bright half of Ashwin or Ashwayuja (September-October) as per traditional Hindu lunar calendar.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
2022 Navratri Calendar
Day 1 – September 26 – Ghatasthapana – Chandra Darshan – Shailputri Puja
Day 2 – September 27 – Brahmacharini Devi Puja
Day 3 – September 28 – Sindoor Tritiya – Chitrangada Devi Puja
Day 4 – September 29– Upang Lalita Vrat – Lalitha Panchami – Kushmanda Devi Puja
Day 5 – September 30 – Skanda Mata Puja
Day 6 – October 1 – Katyayani Devi Puja
Day 7 – October 2 – Kalaratri Devi Puja
Day 8 – October 3 – Mahashtami – Mahagauri Devi Puja
Day 9 – October 4 – Maha Navami
Significance of Navratri: Why is Navratri Celebrated?
‘Navratri’ means ‘nine nights.’ ‘Nava’ means ‘nine,’ and ‘Ratri’ means ‘night.’
Night provides rest and rejuvenation. During the night, you turn inwards through sleep, and you wake up feeling refreshed and rested in the morning. In the same way, Navratri or the ‘nine nights’ is that time of the year when you get the chance to experience deep rest. This deep rest brings freedom from all kinds of botherations, deep relaxation, and creativity.
Fasting, meditation, prayers, and other spiritual practices performed during this period help bring about this deep rest. Even refraining from over-indulging in sense objects during this time aid the process of attaining deep rest.
Devi Puja: Honoring the Omnipresent Energy:
Devi represents the omnipresent cosmic Energy. The whole Creation is permeated by this Energy. The prosperity that we enjoy in our daily lives is a manifestation of Devi. Mother Divine serves us in so many forms. The forms of our mother, father, friends, husband, wife, son, daughter and also the Guru. The revolving planets and the moon is Devi performing aarti to us. Through puja we say, “Oh Mother, whatever you give to me I give back to you. For example, during the Puja, we offer food grains to Devi as Nature provides us with food. Devi Puja is an expression of expanded consciousness showing reverence to the whole Creation. The puja that we perform during the 9 days of Navratri is a way of honouring the Devi and showing our gratitude to the Mother Divine. While attending the puja we give up all our worldly activities for a while and enter into deep meditation.
Durga Saptashati:
According to legend, the Devi or the Divine Mother waged ravaging wars against horrifying demons who wrecked the peace of the universe now and then. At those times, when the devas prayed for an intervention from a higher power, the Goddess Durga appeared and fought for the welfare of the universe.
As She fought, She created tales of adventure and awe that continue to thrill Her devotees and invoke deep faith in them.
These tales went on to be called the Durga Saptshati in the North which is also known as the Devi Mahatmya in South India and Chandi in West Bengal. Compiled and penned by Ved Vyasa (the author of the Mahabharata) the Durga Saptashati is found in the Markandeya Purana. Consisting of 13 chapters, the book recounts the Devi’s tales of valor through 700 stanzas.
The Devi defeats and kills through different avatars. She kills some demons through the tamasic avatar of Goddess Vishnu Maya, some through the rajasic avatar of Goddess Lakshmi and some through the sattvik avatar of Goddess Saraswati.
Why Fast During Navratri?
Navratri Vrat or Navratri fast is observed on all nine days in most parts of India. Culturally, Navratri is a celebration of the feminine as the vanquisher of evils. This is a time when everything on the planet slows down and physically, too, the body enters a period of lethargy, spurred on by the change in seasons with the onset of winter. Fasting during this time is conducive to building immunity in the body by cleansing out all the toxins that may have accumulated. Spiritually, observing a fast or replacing the intake of heavy grains with sattvic foods like fresh fruits and vegetables brings energy and balance to the system. In southern India, a different lentil dish is prepared every evening as lentils are a rich source of protein that can boost the immunity in the system.
Navratri Sadhana
Sadhguru has created a special sadhana that can be done during this Navratri period to help a devotee become more receptive to Devi’s grace. Especially if you are fasting during Navratri, the sadhana will be a support to the system during this time.
What Do the Nine Days of Navratri Represent?
Navratri is traditionally celebrated during the first nine nights following the new moon in the Devi Pada (the quarter after the autumnal equinox), which is traditionally known as the Sharada Navratri. Each day, a different form of the goddess is worshipped, with celebrations finding unique expressions in the various cultures spread across the country. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
